Looking for cheap, decent, safe baby stuff?

Question

I don't make much $ & I wanna to know if any of you have any really good suggestions for baby stuff. I'm looking for stuff that I could buy in Wal Mart or Costco. I know that I could get a convertible crib @ Wal Mart for $100 & even a car seat there too. I could also get a stroller/car seat combo for $150. It's either @ Wal Mart or Costco. I want to buy stuff that converts & grows w/ the baby. Not sure if I'll need a stroller tho... So if I don't need it, maybe I'd just stick w/ a cheap one. I'm mainly looking for stuff that I'd need when the baby's a newborn but anything else is appreciated too. This is my first baby so I don't know what I'll need to buy. I chose not to find out what I'm having. I'm due Sept 26th. Thanx ! :)

Actually I already meant to get one of those carseats that they don't really outgrow. Forget what I mentioned (if I did) bout a car seat tho cuz I know there's one for $40 @ Wal Mart, saw it on their site.

I'm also looking for stuff OTHER than a car seat & crib. These are just examples. What else do I need to make sure isn't broken ? I've never had to buy baby stuff b/f...so I feel kinda clueless & overwhelmed. Like gates... what brand of gates are good & cheap ? What other stuff does safety matter bout ? THANX.

Answer 1

Id go ebay if you can, for everything other than cots and carseats. Clothes you can get ridiculously cheap and they arent in them long enough to justify buying new, whats better is that if theyre in good nic when your baby is finished you can just sell them again.

Prams are another thing, that if you are going to use a lot, should be bought brand new, so you have a warranty. if you want something to sit in the back of your car and be used around the mall then second hand is perfect.

The reason they say its best to buy cots and carseats new is because if you buy them second hand, you dont know what condition therye really in. older cots can be covered with bad paint and if you do buy 2nd hand you should ensure they follow all the government safety guildelines, bars not too far apart (cant fit a coke can through them) no sticking up nobs on the ends etc.
Carseats can be dangerous 2nd hand as you dont know if theyve been in a crash or not.
I dont know if you have them where you are, but I have 2 safe'n'sound carseats, one that goes from newborn upwards for my baby, and a booster that goes from 8-kgs to 26 kgs (that I just bought yesterday for my 2 yr old) theyre dearer than the avreage carseat but worth it. you dont want to skimp on quality when it comes to your babies safety. though that combo deal sounds good!

if the convertable crib is one that has three levels, bassinett,cot and first bed, then thats perfect!! and will save you lots of dosh, if its a type of playpen that has a bassinett inside then I wouldnt use it as a permanent sleeping arrangement, as their mattresses are very thin, (and bad on your back as its so low to the floor) I know many have and thier babies in them permantely, are they are fine, but personally comfort wise, your baby is going to spend a lot of time in there so you want a nice thick mattress. (Im in NZ and not sure what a convertable cribs is sorry!!)

Toys wise, you dont need much. a few bright coloured safe toys will do until baby is bigger, but dont bother with lots soft toys etc as theyre just ornaments in the first few years, as if they have eyes or buttons etc theyre choking hazards etc.

bouncers and jumpers etc are fine too, but I wouldnt go brand new on them incase your baby doesnt like them. they too are a good buy off ebay etc.

Highchairs, are great 2nd hand (I got mine off trademe.com a similar place to ebay here in NZ) and as long as their locking mechanisms are good youre sweet to go. you wont need a highchair until bubs is at least 4 months old though. depending on how early you start solids (mine never have before 6 months)

PS for the record, you really dont need HEAPS of clothes!! they really do grow very fast in the first 6 months.

email me on [e-mail] if you need any more info, Im no expert on stuff but I have had 5 kids and bought over 10 prams in this time (I dont drive and now know what prams are gonna last and which ones wont!!)

Goodluck with everything!!

Answer 2

Just about all baby stuff has to meet minimum standards, so almost anything you get at Walmart or Costco will be good. I personally like Graco stuff. I've never had problems with them. You will *defintely* need/want a stroller/car seat combo! It's so convenient having the baby in a carrier that you can just take out of the car when they're sleeping without having to wake them up. Once you switch to the bigger car seat, it's such a pain taking them out since it always wake them up! And the cheaper, 'umbrella' strollers can't be used by babies until they have excellent head control (4 to 5 months old). The car seat you definitely want to buy new to be safe, but the crib and (separate) stroller you can probably find second-hand. Just make sure that the cribs rails are only 2-2 1/2 inches apart, and it's in overall good condition.

Answer 3

I bought a white baby bed that converted from a baby bed to a toddler bed to a twin bed at Costco for $100. That was 4 yrs ago but I'm sure they are still pretty comparable to that. Have you tried garage sales or putting an ad in the paper ? Also,children's consignment stores are pretty good places for alot of things and it's usually "gently used items". And then there is always old faithful, EBAY! Good luck and congratulations !

Answer 4

I just wanted to suggest that a very good, safe and affordable car seat is a Cosco Scenera. They are about $40 at Wal-Mart. However, I believe Big Lots has them on sale for $30. It is for newborns up to 40lbs. It isn't an infant carrier style but a convertible car seat-lasts much longer than just an infant seat.

Answer 5

If you have a Burlington Coat Factory in your area their baby section is called Baby Depot and they have lots of stuff at decent prices (even lower than wal mart!) cuz their stuff is "last season" so its cheap. its not defective or anything its all brand new stuff. its just that they are coming out with new editions in the stores so they ship the stuff they didnt sell to Baby Depot. they have an online site too.

i'd look in second hand stores too especially in the "good" part of town where u live. the second hand store in the rich area where i live has almost brand new stuff. dont buy a lot of clothes, baby will grow out of them they dont need too many outfits the first few months, just lots of onezies.

i would definitely invest in that stroller/carseat/carrier combo.

p.s. dont overwhelm urself with buying too much stuff in the beginning, gates, saftey stuff they dont need until they can crawl thats at least 6 months.

Answer 6

don't go too cheap, you may end up replacing it before the baby has outgrown it. Skip the infant carseat and buy a convertable seatt, you can use it from birth to 40 lbs, usually 3-4 yrs. If you don't need a stroller you may want to get a $20-30 umbrella style stroller. Its a good "just in case" purchase. We spent $300 on a crib, it was rarely used. My son slept with us at night and napped in his pack n' play, which was $40. You can have a baby and not break the bank!

Look for baby re-sale shops too! You can get great deals on gently used stroller, cribs, swings etc.

Answer 7

I worked for an animal hospital that promoted and sold Royal Canin brand. It's not a crappy brand either. A lot of the diets they make are prescription, which is beneficial to the dog or cat with a certain medical condition. The vet I worked with fed her animals this brand. As far as the vet getting paid by Royal Canin to sell their food, that did not happen. She sold the food because she believed it was a good brand. ADD: Where oh where do some people get the idea that veterinarians are not trained in nutrition? I suppose you think if you read an article written by anyone, then it must be true.

Answer 8

since it's the summer you should be able to find some really nice and cheap stuff at yard sales. just make sure to ask the person selling it if it has all the parts and make sure nothing is broken on it. my mom just bought us a really nice bassinet at a yardsale the lady said she only used it for about a month and a half because her baby was so big. also if someone has a baby shower for you put everything on it. that way it will cut down on what you have to buy. oh and you can check ebay they have some cheap stuff sometimes. good luck!

Answer 9

September 26th is my B-Day! Congrats.

Have you heard of www.freecycle.org? This is a great forum where everyone gives stuff away for free. I got lots of stuff from here for my baby. I received a car seat, baby bath tub, clothes and front packs. It saved me tons of money. Plus you can give all your unused stuff away to people who really need it.

I personally havent put my baby in a stroller yet, he's 8 mos now. I've been carrying him around in a *maya wrap* and *Ergo* baby carrier. I highly recommend getting a really good baby carrier that you're comfortable with. My faves are

Maya wrap, BabyHawk Mei Tei, Ergo (for back carrying). You can find great deals on these on eBay. Good Luck!

Answer 10

Try the website Craigs List. It is an online classifide. You choose your area/town and people post TONS of things they want to sell. Most have pictures too. Some stuff is brand new that people just want to get rid of. Just today i saw a brand new diaper genie for $10, 4 brand new pairs of baby shoes for $10, and a crib including mattress and bedding for $75. If there is something your looking for you can post a want ad. And its free!! I guess you can liken it to ebay. Its awsome!!